7 January 2021, Rome – FAO’s Director-General QU Dongyu and Uzbekistan’s Minister for Agriculture Jamshid Khodjaev signed an agreement for establishing the Uzbekistan Lounge at FAO’s headquarters in Rome.
The FAO-Uzbekistan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) represents the first contribution from an FAO Member to the planned transformation of the public space at FAO’s headquarters – all with the aim to create an innovative space for showcasing agriculture and technology and facilitating knowledge exchange.
Today’s agreement reflects the shared wish of FAO and the Government of Uzbekistan to further strengthen what is already an excellent collaboration.
In November 2020, Uzbekistan virtually hosted the FAO Regional Conference for Europe (ERC). The Director-General noted that the Minister’s personal efforts as Chair contributed to transforming the Regional Conference to a dynamic, interactive and productive gathering, as envisaged in the new FAO.
The Minister, who remains Chairperson of the ERC in the intersessional period, updated the Director-General on activities following the Conference and outlined some of Uzbekistan’s priorities for 2021.
The Director-General stated that the Lounge is another example of Uzbekistan’s contribution to FAO’s transformation and alluded to the central role that hospitality plays in the Uzbek culture.
Uzbekistan’s Minister for Agriculture Jamshid Khodjaev confirmed: “We want every person who enters the room to feel Uzbekistan’s culture, tradition and hospitality”.
The Uzbekistan Lounge – with capacity to accommodate 80 people — will also reflect the country’s colours and texture and will inspire a sense of light, space and harmony. The Lounge, which will be located on the top floor of the Organization’s building, will follow FAO’s objectives to embrace modernity, adhere to safety regulations and promote environmental sustainability.
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